The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-09-08
DOWN IN MEXICO,
How General Cervantes Was Entombod
Alive In Sight of His Home.
NcXican L.ctter.)

|
hable to he seized i'll an unguarded mo-
ment ana spirited away, and seldom, in
deed, were tho victims ever heard of
again, unless their friends "came down"
most handsomely. The modus operapdi.
after II man ht been secured and hid,
den, was to post notices here and there
within sight of his family--sometimos
they were pinned up, ku-klux fashion,
with dagger, or decorated with skulls
and cross bones stating what sum of
money was required to be left within q
gwen time at a certain spot to ransom
their relative, and plainly jntimating
that noncompliance with this demand
would seal his death warrant When the
money was aspromptly paid, the kidnapped
persons were usually released, according
to promise; but in many instances a
1resh demand was made, followed by
ahother, and another as long as there
were the slightest prospects of further
gain.
| BLOOD-CURDLING TALE.
One of the most celebrated cases of
this kind was that Of General Corvantes,
which occurred, l believe, in 1874. He
was prominent politician, i'll the prime
OF life, belonging to family Of great
wealth and lrtlucuce, and tho miscreants
who captured linn well knew that his
! people would move Heaven and earth
Tor his release. Well, days and weeks
went by, and though the country was
secured for the missing man no trace of
him was discovered, or was likoly to be
so long as a penny couid be gaincd by
his retention. HIS family spent thou
sands Of dollars in the vain search, and
rplDpntplIU Inny,citi,,r
money for his lansom, as indicated by
mysterious plncards, until they were
completely Impoverished; and then,
moved by the tears of his distracted
young wife and the prayers of his apcd
mother, the government offered con
siderable amount for his restoration.
But still no CervantcS appeared. Atlast
by the mcrcst accident he was discover
ed-ln the heart Of the populOus CITY
and within a stones throw Of his own
dwelling-uudcr the floor Of a deserted
house, lying flat upon his back in q
place barely wide enough to hold him,
gagged, bound hand and foot, with
several wcil-aharpcn,d daggers thrust
within hairs breadth of his body, so
TINT II he should have stirred they would
have pierced him. Having remained so
long III this terrible condition he WAS
barely alive when found, and it was only
alter weeks OF careful nursing, during
which time he lay speCchlCas and his
life hung by thread, that he was able
10 tell MS adventures; and meantime, Of
course, the miScreAnts had ample oppor-
tunity to escape.
1t seems that late one evening he was
standing i'll his own door, when sudden
ly zerapc was thrown over his head by
some unknown persons and drawn so
tightly as to prevent any outcry; then
he was placed in carriage and driven
rapidly very long distance, as he sup
posed. Doubtless the rapid drive, they
having returned to nearly the same point
whence they started, was intended for
"bliud, and he never believed himself
so near home. The faces of his captors
be never saw, for they were closely
masked, and they visited him only ut
night by the dim light OF lanterns. IIav-
ing gagged and bound him, they first
talked of taking down a portion of the
wall aDd bricking him him up, leaving a
loose place where brick or two could
be removed when it was necessary TO
feed him; but, fortunately for him, they
decided upon the floor as less trouble
some to themselves Tearing up plank
and placing him under it, he was found
to be too cOrpulcnt, despite all their
crowding, to allow the board to fit in the
! place again, SO little earth was dug out
to accommodate him with II living
sepulchre. a few small holes, bored
! above his face, admitted sufficient air to
keep him in existence, and there he re-
NAMED for weeks, helpless, voicclcss,
entombed alive within sight and sound of
his homo, while his friends were ran
sacking tho world for him. Every night
his captors came, removed the plank and
hauled him up, and with the point Of o
dagger ut his throat took out the gag
and gave him food, and then walked him
up and down tho room awhile for cxcr-
clse. By and by he grew so weak rs to
be incapable OF ontcry or resistance, and
tnen his Keepers forced stimulants dow
his throat, and dragged him about for
needed exercise, desiring to keep the
breath OF life i'll him as long as money
ml8h be forthcoming. Finally, be-
heVlng him about dead and that all re-
sources OF profit had been exhausted,
they added mental torture to his misery
Dy assuring him that his friends had re-
fused TO pay anything for his ransom,
and, croWdlng him under the plank
again, they left him to die at leisure. 1t
happened that very night that heavy
storm came up, and n beggar entered
the deserted dwelling for shelter, by
chance seating himself upon the board
under which CerYnntes lay. Hearing
iHlnt st moaning, apparently proceeding
from the lower regions, the fellow was
frightened nearly to death, believing
th@t 1t came from homo ghost, and he
ran Str@IghtwGy to tho nearest priest.
strangely enough, i'll this lazy country,
where super8titlOus luncics arc On ON
mon occurrence, search was instituted,
and what remained of poor Cervantcs
was rescucd-nOt an hour too soon.
81 Feel So Nyru